Coming Home Again
by KJ Bridgerton
Summary: She left him ten years ago breaking both their hearts. What happens when she returns?
1. Chapter 1

Charlie did a double take as he watched the brunette walk by. If he wasn't happily married he would have stopped her with a "Have I seen you around here before?" and a laugh. There was just something about her. He shook his head and finished paying for the books his wife had sent him to get and went along his way. He was almost to the restaurant where they were meeting for lunch when he thought he heard someone yelling his name down the street.

"Charlie Weasley?!"

That was definitely his name. He stopped and turned to see the brunette from the bookshop running across the street towards him. She grabbed him around the waist in a giant hug, before backing away and smiling up at him.

He stood there shocked until he felt a hand take his large one. He looked down and smiled at his wife who was looking at the woman in front of him.

"You are Charlie Weasley, aren't you? If not I am so sorry! I really didn't mean to attack a stranger in the middle of the street!"

"Katie?"

"Bingo, Charlie."

His eyes lit up as he grabbed the witch in front of him into a hug. "I can't believe it's you! What are you doing here in Romania? Last I heard you were in the states with your brother."

Katie laughed as Charlie sat her back down onto her feet. "I haven't been in the states for 6 years. Didn't Ginny or George tell you?"

"You've seen Ginny and George? I had no idea you still kept in contact with any of us."

She smiled sadly, "Of course, I have Charlie. I loved all of you. You were the one who got to busy with his dragons to return my letters."

A hand on Charlie's arm startled him, "Love, I'm so sorry." He said looking down at his wife. "Katie, this is my wife Hermione, Mya this is Katie."

"It's nice to meet you, Hermione; I've heard wonderful things about you. I went to Hogwarts with Bill and Charlie."

Hermione smiled, "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

"I'd hate to intrude on your day out."

"Nonsense, Katie, we'd love it if you would join us."

Charlie grinned as he followed Hermione and Katie into the restaurant. When she had left them ten years ago he had thought she would be back within a few weeks. Those weeks had turned to months, then those months into years. Ten years. It had been ten years since he found his older brother broken and alone crying at his son's grave. He should hate her. He should want to walk past her and pretend she didn't exist but he couldn't. She had been hurting too. She had lost her child. He shook his head free from the depressing memories as his wife sought out his eyes with her own and smiled at him. This was Katie, his one time best friend, and he was glad she was back in his life.

They sat there nursing their coffees after they had eaten. Charlie hadn't spoken much during dinner. His Mya and Katie had monopolized the conversation for the entire meal. They were both workaholics not because they had nothing else to do but because they both loved their jobs. Hermione's laughter pulled Charlie back into the conversation. "He didn't?"

Katie was laughing so hard she could answer.

"Charlie, how could you do that? That's awful."

"What?"

"I was just telling Hermione here about the time you turned Ron into a canary."

"That was an accident!"

The two women laughed at him as he huffed and got up to pay the check. "It was nice to meet you, Katie. I'm glad we ran in to you today."

"So am I Hermione. It was nice to see one, well I guess two Weasley's, before I jump into the whole crowd of them next weekend."

"Next weekend?"

"Yeah, Ginny's guilting me into being in her wedding party. I'm meeting her in London to meet the rest of the bridal party and to go shopping for dresses."

"Thank heavens." Hermione laughed at the expression on Katie's face. "I love Ginny, but the other girls coming dress shopping drive me insane."

Hermione rounded on Charlie as soon as they entered their house. "All right Charlie Weasley, who was that? And I want details, she is much more than someone you and Bill went to Hogwarts with."

Charlie sighed as he motioned for her to sit on the couch. "Wait here." He returned to the room a few minutes later holding an envelope, dumping the contents out onto the coffee table. Hermione reached forward and grabbed the photos that had fallen out. Charlie knew exactly which ones she was looking at by the reactions running across her face. The first one had been of the Gryffindor Quidditch team his fifth year. He, Bill, and Katie were playfully pushing and shoving each other to be seen waving up out of the picture. The next was from his sixth year, the Halloween Ball. Katie and Bill were dancing in the hallway, one of the enchanted cameras had followed them unnoticed when they escaped from the hallway. The two were barely swaying back and forth, Katie leaned her ahead against his chest as Bill buried his face in the top of her head.

"They look so in love." She said, looking up at Charlie. He couldn't speak, he hadn't looked at these pictures in years and they were bringing up memories he thought he had forgotten about. He gestured for her to continue looking through the pictures, as he leaned forward and gathered a few letters from the table.

The next picture was obviously taken in the backyard at the Burrow. This picture was older than the first two she had seen, Bill and Katie were sitting in the porch swing, a very small Ginny Weasley curled up in Bill's lap, sound asleep. "When was this one taken?"

Charlie reached over and took the picture from her. "I'm surprised you haven't seen this one before, Ginny has a copy of it. She must have been seven, it was the first time Katie came over to spend part of the summer with us." Hermione smiled as she looked at the seven year old version of her sleeping best friend. She looked so small and innocent.

"Why do you keep these pictures stowed away in an envelope?" She asked as she picked up one of the three of them.

Charlie plucked the pictures from her hand and flipped through them until he found the one that would answer all of her questions. He heard Hermione gasp but he was too locked away in his own mind to react to her. He didn't need the pictures to remember his time at Hogwarts and the years after, especially this memory.

_Bill was pacing back and forth through the hallway. He had been kicked from the room ten minutes ago but could still hear her screaming through the walls. "Charlie, it's too soon. This shouldn't be happening yet. What if something goes wrong? Charlie what if something happens to her? What if something happens to either one of them? I can't handle that Charlie. Where is her family? They should have been here by now."_

_Charlie was just as worried as his brother, even if his casual demeanor didn't portray it. He had been called out of his Potions classroom by the head of his class and she had sent him straight to St. Mungo's. "Bill calm down, everything is going to be okay. You'll see. As soon as they've examined her they'll let you back in."_

"_How do you know that?" _

_Charlie rolled his eyes at his brother. "Because that's what they said when they told you to wait out here with me." _

_Ten hours later, a haggard looking Bill stumbled out in to the hallway. Charlie ran over to him. "She's okay, but he's so small." He paused, a giant smile taking up his face. "Charlie, she wants to see you, wants to introduce you to your godson." _

Charlie didn't realize he was crying until he felt her small hands wiping the tears from his face. "Love, what happened?"

"When he was three months old he caught a virus, it was a variant of Dragon Pox's, it's always a dangerous disease in small children and since he was premature he was even more susceptible and he just couldn't fight it off. After he died Katie and Bill were devastated, she called off the wedding and then a few days later she left. Today was the first time I've seen her since then."

"What about Bill?" 

"He hasn't seen or talked about her since that day."

"Until next week."

"Excuse me?" 

"She's going back to England next week. She's in Ginny's wedding."


	2. Chapter 2

Katie smiled to herself as she stepped out of the Ministry into the streets of London. It had been to long since she had been home. She inhaled the air, it even smelled like home. She looked down at her watch and quickly stepped into an alley to apparate to her destination. She was meeting Ginny in 5 minutes and didn't want to be late.

"Katie!" Ginny shrieked across the room as she rushed to great her, the impact from the hug nearly knocking Katie off of her feet.

"Gin, it's so good to see you!"

Ginny grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the seats were three other girls stood watching their interaction.

"This is Katie; she's the other bridesmaid that I've been telling you about! Katie this is Lavender, Luna, and my maid of honor, Hermione."

Lavender and Luna stared at the woman in front of them, Hermione stood and hugged Katie. "How was your trip in, Katie?"

"Not to bad, I had to wait for my portkey for a while. There was some kind of miscommunication about when it was supposed to leave for London." Katie turned towards Ginny, "I ran into Charlie and Hermione last week when I was in Romania."

"You've seen Charlie?"

Katie laughed, "Well you didn't expect me to run the other way after seeing an old friend on the street did you?"

Ginny laughed and pushed Katie and Hermione off towards the changing rooms. "I've picked out several dresses for you all to try on so that I can decide what I want you all to wear. So get busy!"

Two hours later Katie and Hermione were stuck inside a small changing room at yet another bridal store. "Honestly, if she wasn't my best friend and marrying the closest thing I have to an actual brother I would take this taffeta monstrosity and strangle her with it! There is no way I am wearing anything remotely like this!"

"How opposed are you to apparating out of here straight from this stall?"

"Gin, aren't we supposed to meet Harry at the Burrow this afternoon? He'll be crazy with worry if we're even the slightest bit late." Hermione asked through the doors.

Within minutes they were back into their own clothes and Ginny was dragging them down the street behind her like disobedient children before being apparated away.

"Mum!" Ginny yelled out into the quiet house. Leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, Hermione watched as Molly wrapped Ginny in a hug, oblivious to the woman in the door. "I brought a surprise home for you!"

Molly smiled excitedly, "Did you find a dress dear?"

"Of course not, you know how picky I am."

Molly looked around the room and finally landed on Hermione. "Hermione!" she ran to the girl and wrapped her arms around her, "I haven't seen you since Christmas! How are you? Did you bring my son home with you?"

Hermione laughed and hugged her mother-in-law. "He's off with the boys, he'll be here soon; however, I am not the surprise."

"I am, Molly."

Molly screamed as she heard the voice coming from behind her. "My dear girl," she whispered, stopping an arms width away from Katie. "This is a surprise. We've missed you so much!" She pulled the girl into her arms, and held on for dear life. "How long are you back for?"

"Just the weekend, for now, but I'll be back for the wedding."

Molly barely heard her through her tears and memories. "I can't believe you're here. Have you seen the others?"

"Just Gin, Hermione, and Charlie."

"Will you stay here? Charlie and Harry are joining us for dinner, and Arthur will be so excited to see you."

"I'd love to Molly." She was about to say more, when a cry erupted through the house.

"Oh dear, I'll be right back."

Hermione and Ginny watched as Katie stood, tears running down her face. "Katie?" Ginny called out, moving over to stand in front of her. "Are you all right?"

"Happy tears, I promise."

"Good!" Ginny said, throwing her arms around her. "Now I promised Harry and Charlie and George that we would meet up with them when we were done shopping since we got here early we could just swing by the shop? You will come with us, won't you?"

Katie wiped the tears from her face, "If you don't mind I think I'll just wait for you here. I'd like to spend some time with Molly before the hoard descends."

Fiddling with her cup Katie waited for Molly to come back down the stairs, she heard Molly talking as she walked back down the stairs. "There's someone special here this weekend, Torie. She used to come here all the time when she went to Hogwarts. She's a very nice lady. She's going to have an afternoon snack with us."

"You sure, Nana?"

Katie stood as Molly came into view, carrying a beautiful blonde girl. "Torie, this is Katie. Torie's my oldest grandchild."

Torie looked over at Katie and smiled before burying her face in her grandmother's neck.

"It's nice to meet you, Torie. Would you like to sit with me while Nana gets your snack from the kitchen?"

Torie shook her head no but didn't fight as Molly sat her down on the couch next to Katie. "How old are you?"

Torie held up three fingers but didn't say anything, even her posture screamed, don't talk to me.

"Three? What's your favorite thing to do?" Katie wasn't giving up, her nieces were shy too. "I have two nieces that just turned four, we like to play hide and seek, and sometimes we color."

"I'll be four soon." She looked up at Katie, "Do you want to color with me?"

"That would be wonderful."

Molly found the two girls hard at work; paper spread out across the coffee table, Katie was concentrating hard on her picture, trying to get it perfect. Molly stopped in the doorway and smiled as she watched Torie try to imitate her new friend.

"I've got juice and cookies!" Molly said, placing the tray on an empty corner of the table.

"Not now, Nana, I want to finish my picture!"

"Victorie Weasley! Where are your manners? We do not talk back, now do we?"

"I'm sorry, Nana."

Molly smiled at the girl as she handed her a cup. "It's all right dear."

* * *

Charlie balked as he walked into the kitchen at the Burrow. This was the last thing he expected. Katie was holding Torie on her hip while the little girl stirred a pot on the stove. Torie was the first to notice him, "Charlie!"

"Hey there, love, you're getting so big! Is your Dad here?"

"Nope, I'm spending the weekend with Nana and Gramps and my new friend. Are you staying too?"

Charlie stepped the rest of the way into the kitchen and hugged Katie with his free arm. "Your Mum is sitting up outside, Torie and I are helping in the kitchen."

"What's taking so long Charlie?" Ginny stuck her head into the kitchen. "Hey guys, come on out here. I want you to meet Harry." Ginny slipped past Charlie and pulled Katie out behind her.

Molly grinned to herself as she moved around the backyard, cleaning up after the dinner they had, her children had offered to help but she quickly sent them inside. "Molly, dear, what are you doing out here all alone?" Her grin grew as her husband's voice wafted across the backyard from the apparation point.

"Cleaning up after dinner, which you missed, where have you been?"

"I told you I might be late tonight, dearest."

"I know, but our Ginny brought home a lovely surprise this afternoon I really wish that you had been here earlier to enjoy it."

Arthur reached his wife and placed a kiss on her forehead, "Is there any chance I may still get to enjoy what our daughter brought home?"

"I would say it is pretty safe to say that. It's inside with the kids."

Arthur walked in the backdoor and followed the laughter to his children. Sitting there, his granddaughter in her lap was the very last thing he expected. To be honest after so long he had never expected to see this particular person ever again. "Katie?"

Katie looked up at the sound of his voice; gently she placed the sleeping girl on the couch next to her, and crossed the room to Arthur. "Oh, Dad. I've missed you so much, I'm so sorry." She said, tears running down her face as he pulled her in for a hug. He didn't care that he was crying to.

"Alright there dear, no more tears. I'm happy your back. Now how long will you be here? I've got loads of questions to ask you about this new muggle thing I found."

Charlie's laughter broke them from their reunion. "She's barely been back in town for twelve hours, Dad; give the girl some time to breathe."

* * *

"Molly, I'll be back for the wedding, please let me breathe."

"So two weeks?"

"Yes, Molly. Two weeks and then I'll be back here, in your kitchen, clamoring for food just like the rest of your clan." Katie gave Molly another hug before distancing herself from the other woman.

"You're going away?" Katie turned and looked at the little girl standing by the table.

"I have to go back to work today. I'll be back really soon though and we can play again then. Remember Aunt Ginny's wedding is coming up and I'll be back for that."

"You promise?" Katie knelt down and pulled the little girl to her for a hug.

"Of course I promise, Torie." The little girl clung to her before running out of the room.

"You've got a way with little ones, Katie; she doesn't take very well to new women."

"She's a great little girl. Alright, I promised I would stop by the shop before heading back out."

Katie halted in her tracks when she apparated in front of WWW before walking inside. She entered into a swarm of children and parents, clamoring around the room, running from one side to the other. Moving through the crowd she finally saw the man she was looking for, hanging from the top of a ladder, one hand securing him. "George Weasley! You look like a pirate searching for land up there!"

"Arr, ye scallywag! Talk to the Captain like that again and ye be walkin' the plank!" George jumped down and tackled Katie to the floor, customers skidding backwards to get out of their way.


	3. Chapter 3

"Good morning, love." Bill leaned down and kissed his daughter on the top of her head. "Where's your Nana?"

"Washing dishes, I was helping but then I dropped a plate and she sent me out."

"That's a beautiful drawing, when we get home I think we should hang it up."

"NO!" Bill looked down in shock at his daughter. She rarely ever raised her voice.

"Why not?"

"It's for my new friend. I'm going to give it to her, it has to be perfect."

"Alright, sweetheart, I'm going to find your Nana."

"Mum?"

"There you are dear. How was the weekend?"

"It was fine, mum."

"I know I just worry about you. The full moon is always hard for you."

"Tor says she wants to give her drawing to a new friend. Do you know who she is talking about?"

Molly tensed before turning back to the sink, "Ginny brought some of her wedding party over, I'm sure it was one of them."

Molly watched as Bill swept his little girl up in his arms, her weekend bag already shrunk and in his pocket. Once a month, Bill dropped Torie off with her and Arthur, while his war injuries didn't cause him to turn completely he did take on more wolfish qualities on the days surrounding the full moon. He didn't want his daughter to suffer from his anger especially when anything could set him off. The poor little girl had been through so much and he didn't want to add fear of her father to that list.

"We're going up to Shell Cottage for a while Mum. Don't forget about her party next week."

"Of course not, it's not everyday my Torie turns four years old!"

* * *

"Molly?" Katie couldn't find anyone in the house "Is anyone here?" She walked through the house and out into the backyard. Molly was running around from place to place, ordering the workers about. Seats were being set up under an enormous tent, while Harry and Arthur worked to set up a stage at the front.

"Over here, Katie!" Ginny yelled from across the yard. She and the other bridesmaids were trying ribbons around jars and placing candles inside. "We're making center pieces; we did it at Hermione's wedding too! Dad's ecstatic that we're doing some things the muggle way."

Katie sat down and was deep in conversation with Luna about the crumpled hornsnack when she heard her name yelled out across the yard. "Well good afternoon, Torie. How are you?" She hugged the girl after she climbed into her lap.

"I made this for you." Torie handed her the paper she had in her hand.

"This is gorgeous! As soon as I get home I'm putting it on my refrigerator."

"Torie, where are you?"

"She's over here with us, George. Stop panicking."

"Thank goodness! She said she was going to Nana's to see her friend and disappeared into the floo."

"Torie, are you allowed to use the Floo by yourself?"

The little girl shook her head. "So why did you?"

"Nana said you were coming back today! I finished my picture and he was taking forever! I'm four now. I had a birthday while you were gone."

"Still you should never use the Floo by yourself, what if you ended up somewhere that wasn't Nana's house?"

"That would be scary."

"Exactly, you'll wait for a grownup next time, right?"

Torie shook her head up and down, "Good then. Now tell me all about the picture you drew me."

"George, come over here and help me!" Molly hollered across the yard.

"Mum, does Katie know?"

"Does she know what, dear?"

"Does she know? Or are you just going to surprise her with who the father of her new friend is? More importantly, does Bill know who his daughter's new friend is? He's not going to take the surprise well."

"I'm sure your sister and Charlie are taking care of all of that. You just come over here and help me with these chairs."

* * *

Katie sat under a tree in the backyard. She and Hermione had retired to its shelter to watch the Quidditch game that was quickly become brutal. Torie was flying around on her practice broom. "Molly said Torie doesn't usually like women. Why is that?"

Hermione was quiet for a few minutes, her brow wrinkled as she thought. "I don't know the whole story but it has something to do with her mother. Fleur was never, well we never really did like her, but we started to tolerate her after the wedding. Then they started coming around less and less, until one day he just showed up at the Burrow.

"Why? Never mind that's none of my business."

"To be honest, I don't know myself. I know that Molly and Arthur know and that Charlie knows but the rest of us are in the dark. I only know that because we all compare notes."

Katie snorted at that, "Not much has changed in ten years then, this family is the biggest bunch of gossips when they get together, mainly about each other. I love it." She was quiet while she watched the game, "Do you know why Bill hasn't been around?"

"He's been quiet busy at work lately."

Slowly the game came to an end and everyone said their goodbyes with promises to return tomorrow to finish last minute touches before the wedding rehearsal. Twilight was quickly fading as Katie sat and watched Torie fly around on her broom. The little girl was pretending to be her Aunt Ginny, throwing an imaginary Quaffle and scoring goals. At last count the score was a billion gazillion to ten. Apparently, according to Torie, even really bad teams like the Cannons scored sometimes.

"Alright, Torie, it's time go inside now. It's getting to dark to fly and we need to get you a bath and into bed."

"Not yet! The snitch has to be caught before the game is over."

Katie ran over and grabbed the empty air beside Torie's ear. "I've just caught it! That means it's time for a celebratory bath and bedtime story." Torie giggled as Katie spun her around in the air. "Take your broom and put it away and then we'll go inside."

The little girl ran to the shed and was coming back to Katie when she stopped in her tracks. "NO! You aren't allowed to be here!" Katie ran towards the shed, she had been waiting for Torie on the back porch.

"Torie, what is it?" The little girl came running full speed at her; Katie caught the girl and scooped her up into her arms. "Who are you?" She hissed at the stranger, Katie wasn't sure what was happening but if it was scaring Torie this much she wasn't about to let the stranger any nearer to the house, especially with the hood of the traveling cloak blocking the face from sight.

"I'm here for my daughter."

"You can't have her."

"Who are you to tell me what I can and can not do with my own child?"

"What's going on out here?" Katie could hear heavy footsteps running across the grass towards them.

"Oh my Beel, I am so glad you are here. You can tell this horrible woman to give me our daughter."

Bill barely glanced at the woman who held his daughter. He would deal with her once he got rid of this problem. "She hasn't been your daughter since the day you tried stop her crying by hitting her. You will not touch her."

Katie flinched, she could hear the venom cutting through his voice, she tried to concentrate on the crying girl in her arms. Slowly backing away from the fight in front of them, she tried to get away unnoticed. "You won't move another step with my daughter if you want to survive."

_He growled_, _Bill Weasley just growled at me_. She was so confused. Katie sunk to the ground and surrounded Torie as best she could from what was going on around her. Singing softly into her ears she tried to drown out the sounds of shouting from just a few feet away.

"Give me my daughter." She looked up into Bill's face. She couldn't see him in the darkness but she could feel the anger radiating from his body.

"Not until you calm down, she's frightened enough as it is."

She thought he was going to push the matter until he heard the muffled sobs of his daughter; she was clinging tightly around the woman's neck, her whole body surrounded by the sitting form of the woman holding her.

Bill closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. There was a familiar smell in the air, and yet, he couldn't quite place where he knew it from. The only noise in the backyard was coming from his scared little girl; even the insects had stopped their nightly chirpings.

"Katie, dear, what's taking you two so long out there? Come on in." Light spilled out from the kitchen door as Molly opened the door wider to look for them. "Bill? Is that you out there?"

He didn't respond he was too busy staring at the woman on the ground in front of him. "Kate?"

She didn't look up at the sound of his voice, instead choose to nestle her head into Torie's curls. She took a deep breathe, "Torie, she's gone now, she won't hurt you I promise."

Torie nodded and slowly relaxed her arms.

"I want you to run inside now and Nana will help you get ready for bed. Okay? Your Daddy's here now, and neither of us will let anything happen to you."

Torie croaked out an okay before running to her Nana and the safety of the house.


	4. Chapter 4

Katie couldn't move it was as if Bill's eyes were forcing her to remain immobile, seated on the ground before him. It had been ten years since she had really seen him, since she had last spoken to him. Even the last time she had seen the family, she had made sure he had been unaware of her presence, and she was sure those she had seen hadn't told him. In fact, his reaction made it clear that he didn't know she was in contact with any Weasley.

Bill was staring, he knew it was rude but there wasn't a part of him that cared. "Katie?" He had meant to say something, anything else, but every time he opened his mouth her name flowed out. "What are you doing here?"

"The wedding is in the morning. Molly invited me to spend the night so that I wouldn't have to apparate in first thing in the morning." Katie shifted her weight back and forth between her feet.

"You came for the wedding?" She shivered as the venom from earlier slipped back into his deep voice. "You haven't had the nerve to come back in ten years, not even for…not even after the war but for a wedding? You've ignored this family for ten years Katie!"

"Bill." Katie moved towards him her hand raised but he stepped back, further into the dark yard, before she could touch his face. "I haven't ignored this family, I've kept in touch with Ginny, I wrote to Charlie until he stopped responding." She paused and took in a deep breath. "And don't you for one second think I wasn't here after the war." He may have been hidden by shadow but she was still softly bathed in the light shining from the house. Enough light for him to see the tears in her eyes, as if the sound of her ragged breathing wasn't giving her away. "I was there, for Fred. You know how important those boys are to me." She stared at where she knew he was, "Bill, please, why won't you talk to me? Why won't you let me see you?"

"Why? Because you left me! You. Left. Me." He turned to leave her in the yard, this time she didn't hesitate to reach out and grab his arm. "Don't touch me." He growled as he shrugged her off him.

Katie watched as he disappeared completely into the darkness of the trees before she turned and went into the house.

"Katie, dear, what happened? Torie ran in crying, she won't let anyone near her."

"Where is she?"

Katie slowly opened the door to Ginny's room. Torie was curled up in a ball, her small body shaking as she sobbed. Ginny looked over as Katie came in the door, "We can't get anywhere near her, she's put up some sort of barrier between her and everyone else."

Katie kneeled down on the floor in front of the little girl but didn't try and intrude her barrier. "Torie, it's okay now. Why don't we get ready for bed? You need a bath after flying."

"Won't."

"It's safe now. She's gone."

"She'll come back."

Katie sighed, and heard Ginny behind her trying to stifle a sob, "She might, Torie, but you never have to go with her."

"Ever?"

"Never."

Torie flew towards Katie, wrapping her arms and legs around her, sobbing into her shoulder.

Ginny watched in silence as Molly slipped into the room behind her and watched the girls. _"It should always be like this." _Molly thought to herself, _"We should have fought harder for her, done more, and then she'd really be a Weasley."_ Ginny saw her mother shake her head, and approach Katie. "Katie, dear, what happened?"

Katie stood to her feet and smiled softly at Molly. "Let's get this one to bed before we talk."

Twenty minutes had passed since Katie first took the little girl into the bathroom for a quick wash and to brush her teeth, they were snuggled up in her bed, slight snores flowing from the little girls' mouth, when the door opened wide enough for Bill to slip inside.

"She's fine. She cried herself to sleep a few minutes ago." Katie whispered, untangling herself from the little girl to stand in front of him. "I didn't mean to overstep in the garden, I was surprised that she was your daughter and you were so angry I just wanted to keep her safe." Katie laid her hands on his chest and pushed him back out into the hallway with her.

Before Katie was out of the room, Bill was halfway to the stairwell. Grabbing the back of his shirt, she pulled him to a stop. "Not this time, Weasley." She ground out, her mouth set in a hard line, it barely moved when she spoke, "Why won't you look at me? You have no right to be angry Bill; you've moved on, you have a daughter and a wife. Neither of us are who we were ten years ago, but we _were_ friends. Friends don't treat each other like this!"

"Don't give me that shit, Katie. _We were friends_, friends wouldn't do that. We weren't friends Katie, we were much more than that and when I needed you most you left, took the first chance you had and got out of here as fast as you could."

"If I hear one more sound from either of you before I say so I will curse you into next week." Bill and Katie froze as Arthur's voice carried up the stairs towards them. "Come with me, now."

Katie had never heard that tone from Arthur before; the usual laid back demeanor he always wore was gone. In its place was a no nonsense attitude and neither Katie nor Bill were willing to test it. Quietly, they followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen. "You two are going to stay in here until you can work this out. I will not have you fighting like four year olds and ruining Ginny's wedding tomorrow."

Katie stared at the kitchen door as it shut behind Arthur, avoiding Bill's heavy gaze. "I don't understand why you won't even look at me Bill." She sighed, leaning her head against the wall.

She flinched as he growled and stalked towards her from the other side of the room. Grabbing her arm he spun her around to face him, his fingers gripping hard into her arms. Pulling their bodies into the full light, she stared up at his face for the first time in ten years.


	5. Chapter 5

Katie adverted her gaze from his eyes down to his chest.

"You can't even look at me, anymore. This is why I didn't want you to see me."

Her eyes snapped back up to his, really taking in his face. Gently her hand reached towards the scars running across his face.

"Oh love, what happened?" she whispered, her fingers tracing the lines across his face.

Bill's eyes closed at the feel of her fingers, leaning in to their warmth, a contented growl escaped him.

"It was the night Dumbledore died."

Katie was quiet as she waited for him to continue. "Death Eaters attacked the school. They were coming out of nowhere. Everyone says that not remembering most of the night is a good thing." His voice wafted off into nothing.

Her voice brought him back to the present. "You can't remember?"

"I do, that's the problem, the closer to full the moon it becomes the worse the dreams get. I relive it over and over again. I just…I just can't bring myself to give them another reason to look at me with _that _look. The poor Bill look."

Bill pulled back from her, leaning against the counter, shadowed by darkness once again.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"What?"

"Hiding in the shadows?"

"You've seen me." Bill whispered, making his way towards the back door.

"Stop." Katie hissed, as she stormed towards him. "I'm tired of this. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Bill Weasley. That act you put on for your family, that's who you should be. Scars on your face don't change who you really are! Your face doesn't make you Bill Weasley."

Katie pulled Bill to face her again, tracing each scar.

"Papa!"

Katie sighed, pulling back from Bill.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"She looks gorgeous, doesn't she?"

Bill growled at his brother before taking a swig of his firewhiskey.

"You know everyone of us has danced with her tonight, it would be an insult really if you didn't."

"Shut it, Charlie."

"I mean think about it, family friend and bridesmaid, shunned by the bride's eldest brother. It's a sad story just waiting to be splashed across the headlines."

Charlie chuckled as Bill thrust his glass at him and stomped over to the dance floor. Hermione stepped up next to her husband as she watched Bill grab Katie from her current partner.

"What did you do to your poor brother?"

Charlie laughed and pulled her into an embrace, laying her head against his chest she listened as his answer rumbled against her ear, "Nothing, just annoyed him into reality."

Hermione huffed and pulled herself closer to her husband. "Well at least he's dancing with her."

Charlie laughed, "I think that may have been a hint, Mrs. Weasley."

Hermione shuddered as he led her to the dance floor, "Ugh, Charlie please, I hate when you call me that."

Bill pulled Katie from under the tent and out into the backyard of the Burrow. "I can't stand watching you dance any longer."

"You do realize that you could have just asked me to dance with you instead of dragging me off into the dark like a madman."

Bill stiffened at her words. "I am not a madman."

"Calm down, Bill, it was a joke."

When he didn't relax Katie pulled him deeper into the night. Settling down by the lake, she pulled Bill down to sit next to her. "Explain it to me."

"What?"

Katie lay back on the grass her hair spread out around her head like a halo. "Explain it to me, the changes, the urges. I want to know what to expect."

"It's small things, I crave raw meat, I get moody and withdrawn around the full moon, and I lash out easier. It's why I leave Torie with Mum and Dad; she's been through enough without me accidently scaring her because I'm extra moody."

She was quiet as she watched him recline so that he was lying on his side, his arm propping up his head as he returned her gaze. "Do you remember the last time we were out here?"

Katie grinned, "I think so. It went something like this didn't it?" She pulled on his jacket until he was leaning over her. Lifting her head, she brought her lips to his. Deepening the kiss, he lowered himself closer to her. Katie moaned into his mouth as she ran her hands up his chest, pushing his coat off his shoulders.

"Yo, big brother!"

Bill pulled back and buried his head in Katie's neck. "I'm going to hunt him down and beat him."

"Oi! You dare defile our favorite non-Weasley!" George shouted from the trees.

"You might not want to move towards him too quickly, unless that really is your wand." Katie grinned up at him. "What is it George?" she called back as Bill moved away from her and his brother.

"Mum wanted to know where you were. The lovebirds are about to take off."

"Thanks, we'll be there in just a moment."

She could see George grin evilly before he turned, "Snape in drag, Mum in a bikini." He called out to his brother, cackling as he ran off towards the reception.

Katie laughed and hauled herself up from the ground, wrapping her arms around Bill's waist she leaned her head against his back. "That didn't end quite the way I hoped."

Turning in her embrace, he brought his hand up to her face cupping her check, leaning into his touch, Katie sighed before moving her arms from around his and grabbing his hand. "Let's see your sister off."

Molly yawned as she took a drink of her coffee, the night before had been magical; her baby girl married off to the man of her dreams and off on an exotic honeymoon.

Torie ran into the room, bouncing up and down, "Can we have pancakes, Nana?"

Molly smiled to herself, maybe there would be more grandbabies soon. "Only if you help me."

Torie smiled, "Do you think Papa and Katie will want some?"

"Of course they will, I happen to know that Katie likes her pancakes with chocolate just like you do."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Molly answered, picking Torie up and placing her on a stool, "Now stir this for Nana."

Bill raised his fist and knocked on the door to his sister's old room. He smiled when Katie opened the door. "May I escort you to breakfast?"

Katie tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "I would love that."

Torie grinned, "Look Papa! I helped with breakfast!"

"I can tell, sweetie." Bill said as he stabbed the oddly shaped pancakes stacked on the table.

"They look delicious, Torie."

The little girl beamed as she sat down between her Papa and Katie. Katie reached out and grabbed the chocolate syrup to pour over her pancakes, "You should marry my Papa, and then we can have chocolaty syrup pancakes every morning."

Katie froze as her eyes slowly met Bill's over the little girl's head, Torie munching happily on the pancakes Molly had already placed out for her.

Bill shrugged and smiled at Katie before going back to his pancakes, "That's not a bad idea, Torie."


	6. Chapter 6

Bill smiled as he watched Katie play in the backyard of the Burrow with Torie and the other young ones.

"So when are you going to marry her?"

"What?"

"I'm the one with only one ear not you. I asked when you were going to marry Katie."

Bill watched for a few more minutes before turning to his brother. "Why are you so eager to accept her back here? She left us, all of us, when we needed her most she wasn't here."

George shrugged, "Just because she wasn't here for you doesn't mean she hasn't been around for the rest of us."

"What are you talking about?"

"After we buried Fred, everyone came back to the house but I couldn't bring myself to leave him there, it was like leaving myself behind. I wanted to die to. I couldn't imagine living my life without him. My whole life we were George and Fred, Forge and Greg, I didn't know how to go on. Then Katie showed up. She picked me up and apparated us back to the flat. She stayed with me for days. You remember that time in my first year when Fred fell off his broom and had to spend the night in the infirmary? Katie spent the night in the common room with me. I cried into her lap most of the night. I was so scared; I had never been away from Fred before. I think I cried into her lap for three days after the funeral. Finally she said the same thing to me she had that night. It didn't make me better right away but it reminded me that I wasn't alone. That I was me and that was enough even when it didn't fell like it."

Bill stared at George, he'd had never spoken to him about those days before. All Bill knew was that no one could access the flat.

George grinned as Bill turned back towards the window and stared back into backyard. She's always kept in contact with us. I think she left you alone because she thought you wanted her to." He paused and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't forget Bill, she may not have come back but you didn't go after her either."

* * *

She didn't have any tears left, not anymore. She leaned back against the tombstone. "My heart still aches to hold you." She laid the flowers in her hand on the ground next to her. "Your Papa seems happy. Did you know you have a little sister?"

"He knows."

Katie opened her eyes and stared up at Bill. "Hey." He looked uncomfortable, standing there, his hands in his pockets looking anywhere but at her.

"He knows about Torie. I come here and tell him. I think he would have been a good big brother, he would want to know."

"I think so too."

"George pointed something out to me earlier." He held out his hand to her and pulled her up. "Come with me?" Katie nodded. She kissed her fingertips and pressed them against the cold stone. "I love you, Matt." Bill blinked back tears and pulled her to him, apparating them off.

Katie opened her eyes and smiled, she knew immediately where they were. He grinned and pulled her down to sit next to him on the ground.

"What did George say to you?"

"Not so much what he said but what he made me realize. I was angry at you for a long time for leaving like that. For leaving when I needed you so much. You needed me to though. I should have come after you, Katie."

Bill turned to face her, "I don't want to make that mistake ever again."

Katie glanced down as he pulled something out of his pocket. "Bill, what's wrong? You're fidgeting." She placed her hand on his knee, stopping his restless leg from shaking.

"I come here sometime when I need to think. Most of the important moments of my life happened right here. You agreed to date me here. I told you I loved you here." He cupped her face in his hands, "You brought me here and told me you were pregnant." Bill leaned in and kissed her, so gently it was almost a whisper of a kiss, "So I brought you here to ask you this." He brought his hands down from her face and held out a ring, "Marry me, Kate."

Tears fell from her eyes, it was her ring. The one she had handed back to him ten years ago. Her eyes moved up to meet his; she could see the nervousness and fear in his gaze.

"Kate?" His eyes searched her.

Katie launched herself at him, her arms flinging themselves around her neck, causing Bill to fall onto his back.

He rolled them over, switching their positions. Katie bent her knees cradling his lower body between her legs. She leaned up, her lips capturing his, her fingers curling into his hair, pulling him closer to her. He deepened the kiss, growling into her mouth. Katie pulled back, her hands pushing so that he rolled off of her. Sitting she grinned at him, "I want my ring back, Bill Weasley."

Bill laughed, "Is that the closest I'm going to get to a yes from you?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"As soon as possible, we've wasted too much time." She grinned as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "Let's go tell the family."

Bill pulled her towards him and apparated them. She laughed as they appeared in the backyard of the Burrow, "Your mother will kill you if she sees us like this."

"Bill Weasley, get off of that girl this instance!"

Katie laughed, "I told you so."

"Papa!" Bill groaned as Torie threw herself at the two of them knocking him over. "You're back! You aren't supposed to leave without telling me!"

"What is with you two, knocking me over like a tower of blocks?"

Torie sat on his chest, her arms crossed, "Well where did you go?"

"Let me up and I'll tell you."

She stood and Katie pulled her over onto her lap. Torie settled her head on Katie's shoulder and smiled up at her Papa. "Tell me."

"I took Katie someplace special. Did you know she almost married me once?"

She shook her head "But you married my maman."

"I did." He looked up at Katie, "Are you alright?"

"You aren't still married are you?"

"No, not for almost two years now."

She nodded, relieved. "Good, that could have put a crimp in our plans."

"What plans, Katie?"

"I asked Katie to marry me."

"Really?"

"But only if it's okay with you, Torie."

"Katie, what?"

She silenced Bill with a look. "I want to marry your Papa and he wants to marry me but this will affect you too. Do you understand?"

"You'll live with us and be my mama?"

"Yes, she will be."

"I'd like that."

Katie grinned at Bill and hugged the little girl closer to her. "Me too."

* * *

Ginny couldn't help but smile, she had been waiting for this day for a long time. She and Harry had been home for two days when Katie apparated in, her smile radiant as she dragged Ginny out to shop for dresses, and now here they were two weeks later. Ginny wasn't sure why they were standing on the hill facing the Shrieking Shack but Katie and Bill both had insisted hat this was the only place they wanted for the ceremony.

There were no more than thirty guests, most of them with the Weasley last name. Katie's mum and dad were there; her brother hadn't been able to make it in from America with such short notice. Ginny watched Bill as Katie apparated in on her father's arm. His jaw dropped when he saw her, much to Molly and Katie's mother's disapproval her dress was an extremely light blue, but it fit her perfectly. Ginny chuckled as Charlie elbowed Bill in the side.

The ceremony was short and there was no reception, the family was having dinner at the Burrow but Bill and Katie weren't going to join them.

Katie grinned as Bill leaned in and kissed her at the end of the ceremony, the magic from their bond still swirling around them. "I love you."

Bill apparated them to his room at the Burrow, their bags waiting for them there, "Go ahead and change, we have plenty of time before our portkey leaves."

He was almost to the door when her voice stopped him, "I could use some help. It took our mum's ten minutes to get me into this thing." She turned her back to him, displaying the buttons running down her back, "Bill?"

He blinked furiously and strode back across the room to her. His hands reached out undoing the first button, then the next, kissing each newly revealed piece of skin, until he was kneeling on the ground behind her, Katie let go of the top of the dress and it fell into a heap around her feet. Clad in only her underwear she stood in front of him.

"Pinch me."

"What?"

His dropped his forehead against her stomach, "Pinch me, Katie, because I think I'm dreaming. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up and this will all have been a dream. I don't think I can handle that. I love you Kate."

She dropped to her knees, joining him on the floor. "Bill Weasley, listen to me. This is real. I'm here, we're _finally_ married." She pulled him to her and kissed him, pulling back she trailed kisses down his throat, her fingers flipping open the buttons on his shirt so she could touch his skin. "This is all real." He growled and pushed her down so that she was lying beneath him on the floor. She pushed his shirt down his arms, pulling it off and pressing herself against him. "Bill, please." Her hands moved to his pants, she needed more, it had been so long.

"Papa?" Torie called and knocked on the door. "Nana said it's time for you to come downstairs, she packed something for you to eat."

Bill groaned and dropped his forehead against Katie's.

"We're coming, sweetie." Katie called back to her, "Go back downstairs." She smiled at Bill who had moved and was leaning back against the bed. "Ten galleons that your brothers put her up to that, now hand me my shirt."

Katie pulled on her shoes and glanced up at Bill who was tying his laces on the other side of the bed. Leaning back she reached out and pinched him before running out of the room and down the stairs. He grinned and followed her to the kitchen.

Bill leaned against the doorframe and watched as Katie picked up Torie and kissed her forehead, surrounded by his family. He caught her eye from across the room and grinned as she smiled back at him. He would always be thankful that Ginny had brought her home again.


End file.
